THE EFFECT OF FREEZING ON THE SEDIMENTATION STABILITY AND ACIDITY OF CREAM CHEESE-BASED CONFECTIONERY CREAMS

Abstract

The quality of cream cheese-based confectionery creams is largely determined by their structural stability and physicochemical properties, which directly influence consumer acceptability and shelf life. Among these properties, sedimentation stability and titratable acidity are considered key indicators of product quality, especially during frozen storage. Freezing is widely used in the confectionery industry to extend shelf life; however, its impact on multiphase dairy-based cream systems remains insufficiently studied.

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of freezing on the sedimentation stability and acidity of confectionery creams formulated with cream cheese of different fat contents. The samples were subjected to refrigerated and frozen storage, followed by centrifugation to determine sedimentation stability and titration to evaluate acidity expressed in degrees Turner (°T). The degree of phase separation was used as a quantitative criterion of sedimentation stability.

The experimental results demonstrated that freezing had no significant negative effect on the sedimentation stability of the investigated cream systems. The differences between refrigerated and frozen samples were insignificant. In contrast, the chemical composition of the raw materials, particularly the fat content of cream cheese, played a decisive role in structural stability. The sample prepared with lower-fat, more economical cream cheese showed the lowest sedimentation stability, with a phase-separation degree of 32%, indicating a greater tendency toward structural breakdown.

Regarding acidity, after freezing, most samples exhibited a slight increase in acidity compared to refrigerated storage, with differences ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 °T. These changes can be attributed to minor physicochemical transformations in the protein-fat matrix during freezing and thawing; however, they did not reach levels that would negatively impact product quality or safety.

The experimental results confirm that freezing is an appropriate method for extending the shelf life of cream cheese-based confectionery creams without significant deterioration of their structural stability or acidity. At the same time, selecting high-quality raw materials with optimal fat content is a critical factor in ensuring product stability and consumer value. The findings of this study may be useful for confectionery manufacturers in optimising formulations and storage conditions of dairy-based cream products.